1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to compositions for removing wrinkles from textile fabrics and particularly to the application of compositions containing low molecular weight cationic surfactants to textile fabrics including wool and silk.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Compositions useful for removing wrinkles from fabrics or garments have long been available in the art. Such wrinkle-removing compositions have proven to be less than totally satisfactory for a number of reasons including the inability of most such compositions to sufficiently reduce the surface tension of aqueous solvents/carriers to properly wet fibers of fabrics being treated and to facilitate sufficiently the action of active ingredients within such compositions to lubricate fibers comprising the fabrics and further to eliminate negative charge resulting in static cling. Prior compositions have also utilized high concentrations of alcohols coupled with high concentrations of surfactants of relatively high molecular weight such as occurs through the use of animal-based oils such as are obtained from tallow and the like. The prior compositions so employed inevitably result in extended drying times and residue formation on fabrics being treated due to the characteristics of the components of said compositions and the relatively high concentrations of said components in the compositions. The residues left on treated fabrics by prior art compositions absolutely prevent the use of said compositions on fine fabrics such as silk, satin, rayon acetate and wools.
Schwartz et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,688, disclose a wrinkle removing product and process comprising an alcohol/ aqueous solution containing a cationic surfactant, the surfactant preferably being a quaternary ammonium compound. The Schwartz et al composition is sprayed on a wrinkled fabric with manipulation of the fabric to remove wrinkles followed by a drying period of from fifteen to sixty minutes. Due to the extended drying times necessary with use of the Schwartz et al compositions, it is not possible to wear a garment treated with the Schwartz et al compositions at the time of application or where the garment is to be worn immediately after the time of application. The portions of a garment wetted by the Schwartz et al composition mars the appearance of the garment with excessive wetting having the potential for causing shrinkage in some fabrics. Further, a garment treated with the Schwartz et al compositions will take on an undesired configuration if it is wrinkled before drying of the compositions. While the Schwartz et al compositions may be satisfactorily used on heavy fabrics as long as such fabrics are allowed to fully dry before use, the Schwartz et al compositions exhibit substantially reduced utility when used on fine fabrics such as silk, satin, rayon acetate and the like with staining often occurring with certain fabrics such as satin or rayon acetate. The inability of the Schwartz et al compositions to find utility with such fine fabrics is apparently due to the excessive degree of wetting which is required to relax and soften sufficiently the fibers in these fabrics in order to permit the removal of wrinkles from the fabrics. Silk fabrics treated with the Schwartz et al compositions are often spotted by the application of the large amount of solution which is necessary to permit wrinkle removal. Fabrics treated with the Schwartz et al compositions remain wet for an extended period of time and therefore are subject to an increased potential for spotting and attraction of dust. When a fabric being so treated is soiled, the application of the amount of composition required according to Schwartz et al tends to dissolve the soil or dirt and distribute same throughout the fabric. Further, when the fabric being treated with the Schwartz et al compositions is starched or sized, the necessary quantities of the Schwartz et al compositions needed to remove wrinkles will tend to dissolve the starch or sizing and pull it into the wetted area, thereby leaving a large spotted area on the fabric being treated.
A wrinkle removing composition intended to address the substantial and significant problems encountered with the Schwartz et al compositions is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,268 to Jacobson et al wherein a silicone-glycol copolymer surfactant and/or a fluoronated alkyl ester surfactant is admixed in an alcohol/aqueous mixture with a quaternary ammonium salt surfactant, the composition being applied to a fabric in the form of a fine mist with the dampened fabric being manipulated to a desired configuration with maintenance of that configuration until dry. Jacobson et al utilize distilled water in the formation of the solvent/carrier employed in these compositions and further use high molecular weight tallow-based oils in the formation of the quaternary ammonium salt surfactants employed in such compositions. The animal-based surfactants prove disadvantageous in the adequate lubrication of fibers and elimination of negative charge, that is, static cling, particularly in the treatment of fine fabrics such as silk.
Agbomeirele et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,566, describe application of aqueous alcoholic solutions of anionic siliconates to fabrics to reduce wrinkles. These compositions require substantial drying time before garments treated therewith can be worn. Further, siliconate-based compositions have not found satisfactory use with fine fabrics such as silks and the like. Other silicone-based materials have also been used in the treatment of fabrics with less than satisfactory results.
Kaufman et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,600,325, describes a wrinkle removing composition employed as an aerosol spray composition and containing alcohols such as ethyl alcohol, propyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol in aqueous solution. The composition of Kaufman et al has proven to be less than effective due to the need to use large quantities of the composition to produce any wrinkle-removing action at all as well as the extended drying times inherent in the use of large quantities of the composition for wetting of a fabric.
Church, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,254, describes an aqueous composition for removing wrinkles from a fabric or garment through the use of large quantities of alcohol including ethyl, propyl and isopropyl alcohols combined with glycerine and a nonionic surfactant preferably selected from among primary alcohol ethoxylates, secondary alcohol ethoxylates or alkyl phenol ethoxylates. The Church compositions also require extensive drying operations and time and are found to be less than useful with fine fabrics such as silk as is encountered in the use of prior art wrinkle removing compositions.
United States Pat. No. 5,346,725 to Targosz describes compositions including cationic quaternary ammonium compounds useful for the treating of nylon hosiery and the like to cause such fabrics to resist running and tearing. The quaternary ammonium salts used by Targosz include the particular compounds considered preferable for use in the present compositions of matter for removing wrinkles from fabrics.
The disclosures of the foregoing patents are incorporated hereinto by reference and particularly as to the methods of application as described therein.
Even in view of the substantial number of prior compositions of matter intended for the removal of wrinkles from textile fabrics and the like, a need still exists in the art for effective, fast-drying compositions of matter which quickly and readily remove wrinkles from textile fabrics and the like without leaving residues thereon. Compositions according to the invention can be applied by various methodology including spray misting in small quantities substantially below that quantity which would saturate the fabric and which are effective to relax and soften the fabric and which allow use of a garment so treated within a reasonably short period of time. The present compositions of matter also prove effective with fine fabrics such as silk, satin, wool, rayon acetates, etc., without hazard to garments formed of such fabrics and without leaving residues thereon. These and other advantages are occasioned by the compositions of the present invention and produce other advantages as will be appreciated in consideration of the present disclosure.